Handling a can of paint is one of the key logistical problems during painting with a brush. While the can may be placed on a flat surface, such as the floor, a table or a ladder shelf, none of these locations is particularly ready at hand during brush painting. In the case of quart and liter cans, they are large enough in size that they cannot be easily grasped in one hand around their circumferential side wall; that is, the can diameter is simply too large to be grasped in one normal hand (unless the painter has unusually large hands). In contrast, pint cans are sufficiently small in diameter that grasping like a water glass is not a problem; their volume is so small that holding the can is not fatiguing. However, for larger quart and liter cans, their size and weight typically requires that the can be grasped between the thumb on the lip and two or three fingers under the bottom and one or two on the side. While this holding position permits access of the paint brush to the can contents, it is quickly extremely tiring, not only to the hand, but also to the arm muscles. In addition, the brush dipping must be precise in order to not mistakenly cover the thumb or hand with paint.
Larger cans, such as US gallon and multi-liter metric size paint cans are provided with a wire bail handle, in which the wire is on the order of 1-2 mm thick. These cans are held by the bail itself, often with the aid of a ½″ wide plastic sheath, in which the bail snaps, that is cradled in the palm of a closed, or partially closed, hand. The resulting position is that the can of paint is held vertically by the bail. That position poses a problem of dipping the brush because both the hand holding the bail and the bail itself block access to the paint in the can. In addition, since brush painting from a gallon or multi-liter-size can typically involves use of a wider brush than used for a quart or liter can, the “hand and bail in the way” limitation presents a significant ease of access problem. A gallon can full of paint is also very heavy and hard to hold for extended period of time.
These paint can handling problems are exacerbated when the painter must apply paint to elevated surfaces. Typically the painter is perched on a ladder, and must take care to balance properly for safety and reach of the work surface to be painted. In the case of extension ladders, the typical solution for holding a gallon or multi-liter type can, is to use an “S” type double hook, one hook end of which is engaged over a ladder rung and the other engages the paint can bail. However, often the can is engaged at below waist level of the painter, as the angle between the ladder and the wall against which the ladder is propped must be sufficient to provide clearance for the diametrical width of the can of paint. Painting in such positions requires repeated twisting of the painter's body in order to dip the brush in the can hung under the ladder to avoid the rung and bail so as to dip the brush and withdraw it without dripping or grazing the ladder.
A number of attempts to address such problems are presented in the prior art, none of which have proven sufficiently useful to achieve commercial success. US 2002/0145001 is directed to a clamp-ring into which a tapered receptacle for paint is inserted. The ring includes diametrically opposed “arms” that are received in notches of a semicircular base element, to which an angled handle is attached. The handle includes an extension rod, the upper end of which includes curved flanges that fit the user's arm when the user grasps the handle. The flanges are strapped to the user's arm. This device does not appear adapted for use with paint cans having bails, as it essentially provides a bail system in which the bail has an extension rod extending outwardly from the center of the semi-circular base element
US 2002/0125385 discloses a gallon paint can holder comprising an inverted L-shaped handle having a flange that rests on the top of a paint can. The stem of the L extends half-way down the paint can and terminates in horizontal (transversely oriented) curved flanges that fit the curved side of the can. A shoulder on which the can bail rests is provided on the outside of the holder at the level of the flange so that the can is retained by the stem, being wedged by the bail. The inverted foot of the L extends over the can contents and serves as a hand-hold.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,191 shows a paint can bail and brush holder comprising a generally oval body, the lower end of which includes an elongated leg that fits under the underside of a paint can lip. The outer surface of the body includes a horizontal bail slot, while the inner surface includes a prong or hook on which a paint brush is hooked. This patent does not include an illustration of whether the bail holder can also be grasped in order to hold the can of paint, but to do so would involve engaging fingers both above and below the brush hook with the bail touching the back of the hand, in which case the brush would not be able to be hooked on the brush hook. More likely, the user would just hold the can by the bail with two fingers on each side of the bail holder. This device is apparently intended as an aid to pouring paint from the can without interference from the free-swinging bail.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,323 is directed to a carrier for paint cans having a bail. The carrier includes a vertical member placed against the outside of the can, and having a radial lip with an upturned inner flange that fits under the bottom of the can engaging the can bottom rim and fitting in the can bottom recess. The outer surface of the vertical member includes a plurality of steps on which the can bail is engaged in order to secure the vertical member tightly against the can. The upper end of the vertical member includes an inward curve that is scalloped to provide a hand hold. This device is for carrying sealed cans from place to place by a large handle as compared to trying to carry a heavy can by the bail.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,839 is directed to a container carrying aid which sandwiches the can bail and is contoured on its inner surface to provide a more comfortable rest for the inner (thumb) edge of the hand. The user places his hand against the side of the can, drops the bail engaged in the aid onto the first finger and thumb web, then wraps the thumb over the top of the aid. That design is said to transfer torque from the hand to the bail when lifting. In a second embodiment, the user grasps the bottom of the can with several fingers, and the aid includes a pivoted C-shaped arm that engages the wrist or the back of the hand.
Accordingly, there is an unmet need to provide paint can holders that are universally useful for a wide range of US and Metric-sized paint cans, both with and without bail handles, which have an ergonomic handle to permit holding naturally like a tool, which present complete access to the paint contents without blocking interference of a bail, which keep the hand and fingers of the painter completely off the can, and which are simple, inexpensive one-piece construction.